


Jowan's Dare

by flowerheadfreak



Series: The Gift of Magic [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-16
Updated: 2010-08-16
Packaged: 2017-10-11 03:12:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/107715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerheadfreak/pseuds/flowerheadfreak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Warden's life before becoming a warden.  She is dared by Jowan to do something she wouldn't normally do.<br/>Inspired by an actual in-game conversation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jowan's Dare

She awoke with a jump. 

“Another nightmare?  No pleasant dreams about ponies and butterflies anymore?” Jowan asked sarcastically, eyebrow arched with no surprise.

Her Harrowing was a day from now, and all she’s been doing to prepare is dreaming about those creepy demons that prey on all mages.  She wasn’t allowed to know what the Harrowing was, but she’d done some research, quietly eavesdropping on other mages when they whispered about their Harrowing. When Jowan was there when she awoke with fear, and he never failed to remind her of her _horrifying_ dreams.  She answered his snide question with a touch of sarcasm of her own.

“Yes, Jowan, I was having yet another nightmare about your disgusting feet, you really need to get those checked out, they’re rather horrendous.”

“Oh real funny, Abby, real funny, forgive me if I don’t laugh.”

She smirked, his feet were a sensitive topic, she was glad she took a stab at it when he’d mocked her dreams once again.  She stretched her tiny body and rose from her little bed that they gave to all apprentices.

“Don’t you have anything better to do than watch me sleep, you cretin?” she started again sleepily, truly wondering why he was there when she twitched awake.  It was normal for them to throw insults back and forth at each other in the mornings, but this time she was a little less enthusiastic about it, hence the dreams of being eaten and possessed alive.

“It’s far more interesting to watch you cry in your sleep than read books if you must know,” he replied, pretending to be dead serious.  She laughed and said “You’re an idiot.”

“But to be serious, Irving said he needed to speak with you again.  I know how much you love being doted upon by elderly instructors, with your _amazing talent_ and all,” he said, sneering lightly at _amazing talent._  All she knew were frost and electricity spells really, not enough for everyone to be throwing a party and calling her a prodigy.

Arabelle scoffed out, “Oh yes, being doted upon by old people is the highlight of my life right now.”

She spread the purple covers of her bed neatly across the surface of her mattress, and walked towards the large ugly door that separated the halls from the room she had to share with dozens of other apprentices.  Jowan followed.

“What do you think he wants?” he asked quietly.

“Probably just to talk about my impending Harrowing and to tell me how brilliant I am,” she answered, smiling at how arrogant she sounded just then.

“Shh, it’s Greagoir over there, talking with Cullen again.”

She walked past the Knight-Commander without so much of a nod of acknowledgment.  She disliked him _very_ much, he was always doubting her self-control, mocking mages (except Irving) was pretty much his purpose in life, she deduced.

“Have some respect, Arabelle, I’m the Knight-Commanding Templar!”  he spat, darting his eyes furiously at her when she refused to recognize his presence.  Although he was demanding of respect, all she heard was “Blah blah blah, I’m a dirty lying templar.”

But nevertheless, she nodded and bid him good morning with false respect.  She wondered why he was so heartless to mages, but then finally assumed that it probably had something to do with that stick up his ass.  A mage might have jammed it up there just for laughs when he or she finally received their staff.  She nodded also to Cullen, who froze with panic flickering in his eyes.

Once they were an acceptable distance away from the templars, Jowan spoke again.

“So what’s the story on Cullen?”

“The story?  It’s pretty obvious he’s a templar, Jowan, he has no story.”

“You know what I mean.  Those long glances he shoots at you, freezing up whenever you speak to him…the signs are clear.”

Arabelle couldn’t help but laugh at his interpretation, so what this templar had a little crush on her?  She wasn’t going to do anything about it, certainly not.  Especially when Cullen’s boot-licking Greagoir all the time.

“Don’t tell me you’re jealous now,” she said, to which he responded by wrinkling his face.

“Ew, no.  I was just thinking that it would be funny if you flirted with him.  Just to see his reaction would send me to the floor laughing.”

“Hmph, well maybe _you_ should flirt with him, see if that sends you to the floor.”

“C’mon, it wouldn’t hurt.  Just for laughs, I dare you.”

She snapped her head at Jowan., about to argue, but instead smirked and said, “Fine, tomorrow.  Two silvers say he’ll be so embarrassed he’ll pee himself.”

Jowan chuckled, “Alright, deal.”

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*

She respected Irving, he was her role-model, someone she looked up to since they brought her to the tower.  It’s undeniable to say he didn’t have a soft-spot for this tiny mage, with her clever little attitude.  Having no family whatsoever, this girl was the closest it was going to get to having a granddaughter.

He’d dropped hints about the Harrowing, hints she understood completely since she already knew what it was but would be missed if he’d spoken to someone who hadn’t.

When the Harrowing finally came, she passed it smoothly, shushing Greagoir from his complaints when they found out the results, though she was still knocked out by the lyrium.

“Are you alright?  Say something, please,” she heard.  Mistaking Jowan for Mouse, (the demon who pretended he was her ally) she lashed out from her slumber screaming “Demon!  Die demon!” 

Jowan jumped back, assuring her it was him, calming her down.  He shook his head at her in disbelief. To which she sighed with discontent.

“What is it, Jowan, can’t find the potty all by yourself again?” she began, rubbing her head.  He snorted.

“Very funny.  No, Irving wants to see you again.  What was it like, the Harrowing I mean.”

She chuckled with no humor, ignoring the fact she wasn’t allowed to tell him she answered, “Dangerous, they want to see if you’ll resist a demon possess you.  It was…easy actually.”

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*

They made their way towards the First-Enchanter’s quarters when Jowan saw Cullen standing alone.

“Ok, two silvers was it?  Go!” he urged, pushing her towards the shy templar.  When she turned Jowan was no longer there.

_Hiding no doubt,_ she thought irritably.

“Oh, um, h-hello.  I’m glad to see that your Harrowing went smoothly,” the templar began.

“Hello, Cullen,” she said enticingly, baiting him intentionally.  His eyes flickered, showing an obvious discomfort.

_Oh, this is gonna be easy._

“I…uh, I’m just glad you’re alright.  You know.”

_Of course you’d be glad._

“Would you really have struck me down?” she asked, pouting her lips slightly, distracting him from their conversation, after a moment he answered.

“I would have felt terrible about it…but…but I serve the Chantry and the Maker, and I will do as I am commanded.”

Arabelle began to feel uncomfortable as well.  Talking with templars always made her nervous, unless it was Greagoir (then she would just intentionally make him angry).  Her sudden anxiety caused her cheeks to feel hot, but she continued.  Two silvers, she had to do it for the two silvers.

“Maybe we could go elsewhere…and continue our discussion,” she said, her voice finally cracking a bit.  For a wild second, she thought Cullen would agree.  What would she do if he did?  Her eyes widened a little, her lips parted, cheeks blushing with nervousness. 

_If that happened, I’d lose two silvers…_, she thought jokingly, trying to control herself, willing herself to stop being so jittery.

“Elsewhere? What do you mean?” he said, trying to ignore her nervousness which he mistook for attraction.  By this time, his heart was pumping madly at the thought of being alone with her.

“I’ve seen the way you look at me…”she stuttered out, almost succeeding in having a flirtatious tone.  He took it anyway, ate it up practically. 

“Oh, my goodness.  If you’re saying…what I think…that would be really…” he smiled timidly, fantasizing of the possibilities all in one moment, but then forced out “…inappropriate and… I couldn’t.”

She almost sighed in relief.  Her heart still racing she watched him say “I-I should go.” –and run frantically away.  She wanted nothing more than to laugh, but all that came out was a cough.  Jowan reappeared, laughing uncontrollably.  She walked towards Irving’s quarters again, distancing herself from Jowan, deeply breathing to get her heart to stop pumping so madly.

“That was…hilarious!” Jowan cackled, following her.  Finally calming herself down, her heart pumping at its normal pace, she turned to Jowan.

“Oh, you think it’s funny that you just made me traumatize that poor templar?” she smiled, allowing herself to express amusement. “You owe me two silvers, I believe.”

His face quickly expressed annoyance. “Fine, here.” Jowan walked away, clearly fuming over his loss of money.

_I should’ve charged more, I almost had a heart attack…can’t imagine what that templar’s going through._

She glanced over to where he ran, but he was nowhere to be found.  She couldn’t imagine what Greagoir would do, if he was present.  Probably raise his voice at her, telling her that what she did was inexcusable, blah blah _blah._ She smiled at the thought, oh, how she loved getting him angry.

She didn’t have to wonder where Cullen went, when she finally reached Irving's quarters, he was right outside the room.  She rolled her eyes, that stupid templar was everywhere.  She walked right past him, trying to ignore his staring and her guilt for leading him on like that.  Now, she was sure, that her actions were just going to encourage more staring.  Her lips curved downward and strolled into the room.

“Ah, Abby, congratulations on the Harrowing,” Irving said happily, eyes gleaming with pride.

“Hello,” Arabelle heard from behind Irving.  The man walked forward, revealing himself to be a human with olive skin not unlike her own.  His familiar features made her feel a trust she wouldn’t usually give so easily.

“This is Duncan,” Irving said, gesturing towards the other man. “He is a Grey Warden.”


End file.
